February 7, 2008

Itochu Corporation to market "chicken netting" against bird flu

Itochu Corporation will sell a specially treated netting material to help poultry farmers protect their chickens from avian influenza, according to Japanese daily The Nikkei.

Fitted on the roofs and windows of chicken barns, the netting greatly reduces the risk of infection. It is made from a polyester fibre impregnated with an anti-viral agent developed by Shikibo Ltd., killing more than 99 percent of viral particles present in the feathers and excrement of infected birds after just 10 minutes of contact.

The treated fibres are processed into netting by Daiichi Seimo Co.

Itochu will market the netting to domestic poultry farmers and also export the product to Southeast Asia. Priced at roughly Y1,000 per square meter, it could be used to outfit a 40,000- to 50,000-chicken poultry farm for around Y3 million.

Itochu hopes to develop this into a business with annual sales of Y500 million after three years.